Freedom
by Gina Jade
Summary: Katara must leave Zuko to help her family. But can she she stay away for long?
1. Chapter 1

"Stay with me."

Pain shot through her heart as his voice pleaded with her. She closed her eyes and took in a deep breath. "You know I can't. I want to..." She swallowed, regaining her voice. "We've all lost so much in this war. I have to help Sokka..." One look would do it. All it would take would be one glance into his golden gaze and she would crumble into his embrace and stay there for the rest of her life. She couldn't. Not now.

"Katara, please...I love you and you love me and...You can do nothing for him now. Suki...is gone. Why would he want you to see him suffer?" The beginning tears started to prick into her eyes. Don't look back. Just his hand on your wrist is making you crumble slowly...

"I want to stay...so much." A sob escaped her as she stared off into the distance where her brother and her two best friends loaded Appa for flying off to the North Pole. She saw her father sit within the saddle. The sun caught at his glistened face as he stared at his son. Sokka went with his chores without noticing his surroundings and looked up toward his sister with a blank expression as she stood on the steps of the palace. She pleaded with her eyes but her once loving brother stared back with a cold, blue gaze. "He's changed and he needs me...He may never be the same.." She dropped her gaze to her feet.

Zuko's thumb caressed her hand in small circles and her pulse jumped in her veins. "He has your father and Toph and Aang. He would be fine..." She heard him swallow as he walked closer to her. Desperation and sadness entered his voice. "Please don't let him take you away from me. Everything is taken from me!" He slowly turned her body toward him and her unshed tears broke free like a dam as she saw his shoes. "Look at me...?" She slowly shook her head.

"Katara. Look at me." Hardness came into his voice but she could hear the strain in it. She could tell he wasn't trying to cry. "I can't!" she wailed.

"Why? Why can't you just wish me goodbye, since your obviously leaving me?"

She shut her eyes tight as to stop the water from sliding down her cheeks but to no avail. "Because if I do then I won't want to leave. And I have to." Drawing in a shaky breath, she felt his finger under her chin and made no move to stop him. Eyes closed, she felt his breath on her face. "Open your eyes...I need to see your eyes."

She felt his warm hands hold her face in between them and the way his thumbs wiped away the tears. She slowly brought her lids up and away from her blue orbs to meet pools of gold. She smiled sadly. "See. Not so hard." His voice broke.

Slowly, he brought her into a strong hug and held her tightly for what seemed like eternity. "I can't convince you to stay?" His voice was muffled in her neck and she took into her heart the way his breath tickled her neck and set jolts of electricity into her lower back. Took in his spicy but sweet smell. She wouldn't have this for a long time...

She couldn't speak so she shook her head. He sighed shakily and held her tighter.

"Katara!"

_No. Please give me more time..._

She pulled away and looked into his eyes. They warmed her all over even on the coldest nights. As another sob shook her body she brought him close and kissed him with all she had. Her love, her apology. Everything. He nibbled on her lower lip and ran his hand through her hair and gave her waist a little squeeze. She pulled away, wishing she didn't have to. Giving him another tight hug she stepped out of it and brought her hands shakily to the clasp at the back of her neck. With a quiet snap, she had her mother's necklace in her hands and watched as Zuko's eyes widened when she placed it into his palm. "I'll be back for that. Please keep it safe." With a sad smile she stared into his eyes and gave him a quick peck on the lips. "I love you."

Turning, she descended the steps of the Fire Nation palace as a free women but, in her heart, she knew she would be caged in this iron prison of sadness and longing until the new Fire Lord, her key, held her in his arms.

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**I made tiny changes. (: **

**Review, please!**


	2. Chapter 2

"Katara, there's a letter for you."

Looking up from her lap, the Princess of the Water Tribe found her father in her doorway. A tan role of paper tied with a violet ribbon was held loosely in his left hand. Her mood brightened immediately. "Thanks, Dad!" She jumped from her soft bed and ran over to the doorway, grabbed the scroll from his callused hand, and gave him a hug. She felt him rub her back and kiss her forehead. "You're welcome. I have work to do so I'll just be going." With a small smile, he silently closed the door and left her to her thoughts.

Blowing her bangs in frustration, she walked to her bed and settled into the pillows to read her letter. It was so boring at the South Pole. For one, everyone treated her differently now since they had built the palace and she and Sokka had their coronation. Only the women treated her almost the same but not quite. And now, she was hiding from her too dependent, lazy brother. Sure he helped with all the planning involving creating the palace and such but afterwards, his depression seeped in from losing Suki to the war and he became extremely dependent on his little sister. "Sis, wanna go penguin sledding with me?" "Hey, Katara! Wanna go fishing? C'mon it'll be like the good old days!" "Katara! I'm cold and the servants don't know how to help that like you!" She was being dragged over every part of the South Pole and farther than that just to help her brother. Help ease some of the pain. After a year and a half his smiles didn't seem as strained anymore. It wasn't the Sokka smile she remembered during the past but it counted as something. Maybe she would never see that smile again.

Sighing sadly she looked down to the piece of parchment in her lap. She smiled. She had been waiting for this for months. At least she had him.

Zuko.

She untied the tight violet ribbon and held it in her hands, rubbing the material with her finger and thumb. The feeling of silk was wonderful when surrounded by fur everyday.

She started to open the scroll when a knock came at her door. Groaning, Katara set the letter aside. "Come in."

Her double doors open slowly and she found her brother poking his head through with a smile. "Hey, kiddo. What are you doing in here? I was looking for you." He walked fully into her room and leaned on her bedpost. She rolled her eyes. "You're always looking for me. I was just tired and I needed to get away from it all." She smiled at her brother and gestured at her letter with a cheerful tone. "I was just about to read a letter from Zuko."

To her surprise, she saw Sokka look at the scroll with narrowed eyes. "Really now? And when was the last time he sent one?"

Raising an eyebrow, Katara took her letter and settled it in her lap. "Three months ago. He must have been really busy. He'll probably explain in this letter so..." She let her sentence trail off.

"I don't like how he just sends you letters when it conveniences him. How long did it take to get the last letter?" He didn't wait for an answer. "Figures."

"Hey! What's your problem? Zuko is the Fire Lord! He has to help his people! He's probably tired all the time and in meetings and stuff! He doesn't have time to be writing letters in the middle of the night when he should be asleep! And besides this is,"-she checked the number of pages that were in the scroll-"six and a half pages long, for your information. And it takes a long time to have a messenger hawk fly from there to here!" she huffed at him and crossed her arms. "And why are you in my business? La, you're always suffocating me!" Settling back into her pillows, Katara started to open the letter and through her awareness, felt Sokka leaning in to take it right from her lap. In a flash she had him frozen in place with his hand dangling in the air. "What are you doing?"

Sokka stood still in an awkward position of reaching toward his sister's lap. All he could move was his neck as his blue eyes connected with ones that matched his own. "Taking the letter. Well, trying to. Let me go." He grunted as Katara moved her letter out of his reach and bended his blood to make him stand up straight. Slowly, she got out of bed and glared fiercely at him. "And why are you trying to take my letter? It's not yours."

Sokka glanced at her hands that controlled him. "Katara, stop. You're going to get a headache. It's not the full-"

"I've been practicing. It's been three years, Sokka. I got over things and went on with life."

His eyes narrowed dangerously. "What's that supposed to mean?"

She looked away. "Ever since she...Ever since the war ended you've been different. You're always pulling me around the city and you're coming to me like you did with Mom. You need to get control over your life and stop being so dependent of me. And lazy. After the palace was built you just sat around and you don't do anything now. Move on. You're the next in line for Chief. Act like it."

The two glared at each other for seconds that felt like an eternity. Silence descended upon the siblings until the water tribesman licked his lips and growled, ""Well, your boyfriend sure isn't doing anything, either."

The princess started to grind her teeth together in frustration. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Because you've totally moved on. You're not all here. You're stuck in the Fire Nation with your prince! And then he sends you letters just at random! Seems like the boy doesn't even try. Oh, wait! That's something you two have in common!"

Her opal eyes drawn to slits, Katara brought her arms up with Sokka's following suit and slapped him hard in the face. "How dare you! Zuko is an excellent ruler! And we do try! What makes you think we act like you? Zuko is in meeting after meeting and I'm training waterbenders even if I'm not the only master. Also, I'm going to the healing hut to teach bloodbending, doing paperwork and getting dressed up for the million parties we have because you just need a chance to drink without being chastised! I'm always doing what's best for this family and the whole South Pole and Zuko is doing the same for the Fire Nation and the other nations! You're the one who can't get over the past! I've had to sacrifice losing Zuko just so I could take care of you! I haven't seen his face in three years because were both so busy! What have you done for this family? You're too lazy to even go hunting with the other men now! So when you actually do something for our people and it's actually for them and not you, then I would love to hear it! But until then, don't bother talking to me!" Taking deep breaths, Katara looked up to her brother and found him staring at her. Just staring. Anger bubbled over and she flicked her wrist. Sokka flew over to the door and she made it shut behind him.

0o0o0o

Katara opened the doors to her father's office with a jolt and closed them just as quickly. Looking up, she found Hakoda staring at her with confusion and in one strained breath, her words surprisingly made her heart flutter.

"I'm leaving."

Hakoda's eyebrows shot toward his hairline as he rose from his desk to meet his daughter at the middle of his office. "Why do you want to leave?" She could see the concern in his dark blue gaze and walked to fill a cup with water. "Dad, I didn't say I wanted to leave, I said I am leaving." A sigh escaped her father's lips and he walked back to his desk and sat. "Then why are you leaving? We need you here."

She clutched her glass and looked into the liquid. No one was the same. Her father wasn't the same. Her brother. "Well, I'm not happy here, Dad. And I want to…." She swallowed.

"Be with Zuko?" he said, finishing her sentence. Leaning foreword, he rested his chin on his fist. "You have plenty of things to do here, Katara. You're the princess-"

"Don't you care that I'm not happy? I'd still be the Princess of the Southern Water Tribe in the Fire Nation. And the things I do here benefit you and everyone else while nothing is for me. I've always been taking care of others. I've been taking care of others ever since Mom died and I don't want to anymore. I want to be taken care of." Tears slid down her face as Hakoda stared at her. Where was her father? "What is wrong with you? Why are you acting like this? You're so cold now and it's breaking this family apart. Both you and Sokka act as if you don't have any feelings. Sokka basically only shows anger and you show nothing at all ever since you were in prison. Don't you see? I'm not happy, Dad. I want to be with Zuko because he makes me happy. He takes care of me. You no longer can do that for me. Ever since you left for the war I've had to take care of myself and the village. Now, I'm done." Hakoda looked at his daughter sadly and she went back to staring into her glass..

"Katara...I'm sorry..." he whispered.

She set the glass down, sighing heavily as she did so. "Let me go, Dad. Just…let me go." Going toward the door she looked back and stared into the eyes that matched her own. "I love you. I'm asking Zuko to send me a ship. Goodnight, Daddy."

As the door closed, Hakoda stared at it and slammed his fist on the desk. Droplets marked the wood.

0o0o0o

The Fire Nation ship docked into the South Pole and the waterbender stared up at the huge ship with contentment in her heart. She thought back to how just almost four years ago, this very ship plowed into her home and it was the first time she had saw him. The Prince of the Fire Nation. Zuko. She smiled as the gangplank broke apart from the rest of the ship. She knew he would be there. She knew it. She could see his smiling face in her mind and when the metal doors of the bow showed his face-

"Uncle Iroh?"

Iroh walked down the gangplank and embraced Katara in a warm hug that she so missed. "Hello, Princess Katara. It's so lovely to see you again! And my, don't you look beautiful! You've grown so much!"

She blushed at his words and looked into the old mans face. "Hello, Uncle. It's good to see you too." She nuzzled into his embrace and smelled the spicy smell of the Fire Nation and jasmine tea. "I've missed you and your tea."

Iroh gave a throaty laugh and he let go of her to get a better look at her face. Katara smiled and saw how he looked around and found basically her whole tribe surrounding them. Closest to them were Hakoda and Sokka. "Men, please take Princess Katara's bags into the ship! Chief Hakoda. Prince Sokka. Nice to see you again." He smiled and shook hands with the two men. "Likewise, General. How are things going in the Fire Nation?" Inwardly groaning, Katara blocked out the voices of politics and looked to the ship in confusion. Where was Zuko? You'd think he'd be here after not seeing her for three years.

Blowing out her breath in dissapointment, she turned to Iroh. "Um, Uncle? When are we leaving?" From the corner of her eye she saw Sokka narrow his eyes. "Well Princess, we'll be leaving by nightfall if you would like or we could wait till morning. It is all up to you and I."

Katara sighed and looked at her father. He smiled reassuringly. Smiling back, she directed her attention back to the old Dragon of the West. "I'd like to leave by nightfall if that's alright. Thank you. Well, I think I'm going to go and look around the ship. I might take a nap. I'm pretty tired from packing," she yawned.

"Oh! Alright, Miss Katara. I will be up shortly. One of my men will show you to your room." He gestured to a soldier waiting by the bow, gesturing to him with a flick of his wrist. "Please escort Princess Katara to the Fire Lord's chambers. Thank you." The soldier bowed and waited for Katara to step toward the ship. She turned and jumped into her father's arms. Holding him tightly, she took in the salty scent of her childhood. "I love you, Daddy. Thank you." He held her tightly and kissed her forehead. "I love you too, sweetheart. Promise to write me, alright? I want to hear about what you are doing," He smiled and hugged her once more and let her go.

Smiling, she looked to her brother. She faltered at his teary gaze. "Oh, Sokka..." Hugging him, she nuzzled into his chest. "It's not like I'll be gone forever. We'll see each other soon. I love you, Sokka." She felt his arms tighten around her waist and he rested his chin on her head. "Love you too, Sis. Listen, I'm sorry for what I said. I-I didn't-"

Katara brought her hand up, silencing him. "I'm sorry too. Don't worry, I forgive you." She smiled. "Well I have to go find my room…" She hugged her brother one last time and walked to the ship.

"Come to the Fire Nation sometime! I'll want to see you! Love you!" As her feet touched steal, the crowd behind her cheered and she turned back to wave as she disappeared into the bow.

Sokka looked on and saw the last of her brown hair. He didn't take is eyes off of the ship as he addressed the old man. "So where is Zuko? Couldn't get away from those sages?"

Iroh smiled and looked to the prince. "Something like that."

0o0o0o

"Your room, Princess."

Katara smiled and looked at the door. "Thank you, sir. Please tell Iroh that I will be here for the remainder of the night if he wishes to see me."

The soldier bowed and turned with smile on his face. "Enjoy your stay, Princess."

Katara let herself into the room and red filled her senses. Surprisingly, Zuko's quarters were quite large. He had a sitting room and she could see a closed door off the right that she knew was the bedroom. She noticed her bags close to the door and was confused as to why they weren't in the bedroom. Walking over, she turned the doorknob and inspected the room-

-to find the Fire Lord sleeping in the bed.

With a huge grin, she could barely stop herself from running to him. Staring at the way his face was so peaceful made her reel with excitement. Quietly she closed the door and walked to the bed. He lay on his side facing her and she reached for his face. Slowly, she traced the outline of his scar and saw his eyelids start to flutter. She moved her hand to his hair and combed her fingers through it. Slowly, Zuko's eyes opened and she finally looked at him fully as he stared at her with gold, wide eyes.

"I'm home."

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**Now, it is better. Muahah. ****I'm going through and edited everything on here and on dA but, I'm starting to feel sick again so I'm going to stop. (When I really should be working on Socail Networking for Zutara Week. Damn.)****Anyway, review and tell me what you think! I thoroughly enjoy your feedback.****  
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